Roof framing tool



A. G. SLOPER RooF' FRAMING TOOL Filed June 9. 1930 La 1 re/7723 q463679567" I Patented Nov. 13, 1934 ,1,980,76 5 ROOF FRAMING TOOL AlfredGeorge Sloper, Wagga Wag'ga,: New South- Wales, Australia ApplicationJune 9, 1930; Serial No. 460,032'

In Australia September 6, 1929 Claims.

This invention relates to an improved tool for use by Carpenters andothers in the setting out of roof frames and the like. v

The invention has been designed to permit I quick and easy determinationof the lengths and the setting of the Various angles or cuts requiredfor different rafters of a roof and provides for the simultaneoussetting of three different angles, namely, the head and foot cuts of acommon 10 rafter and the side or creeper cut of an associated jackrafter, and likewise the head and foot cuts of hip and valley raftersand the side cut of associated jack rafters.

The invention comprises as its main features ll a slotted set square orplate and a straight-edged bar which is angularly adjustable on andrelative to a face of the plate and is guided in the slots thereof. Thisstraight-edged' bar is provided with sidewardly or outwardly projectinghinged or folding wings which are automatically adjusted in accordancewith the angular adjustments of the straight-edged bar so as to assumedifferent angles relatve to the face of the plate to thereby indicatethe proper side cuts for jack and hip or valley rafters. These hingedwings of the straight-edged bar may also be set for use as a mitre whenthe plate is used as a square.

Referring to the drawing which forms part of this specification- Figure1 is a plan of a device according to the invention.

r Figure 2 is an enlarged fragmentary edge view of the device, partsbeing shown in section.

Figure 3 is a plan of the device showing the straight-edged bar L set ina position different from that of Figure 1. The set square or plate 21may consist of comparatively thin sheet of metal preferably alumnium oralumnium alloy, or other suitable material which is light yet strong andrust proof, and is preferably of substantially right angled triangularshape. The right angled edges 22, 23, are provided with suitablegraduations 24, 26,

' preferably in inches and fractions thereof, and

which commence from the junction of the edges 22, 23. The graduations 24of one of these edges (hereinafter referred to as the base edge 22) arepreferably continued or projected so as to intersect diagonal pitchlines 27 which may converge from the graduations 26 on the other of saidright angled edges, (hereinafter referred to as the side edge 23), to acommon point, preferably the twelve inch graduation, on the base edge ator near the junction of the base edge and the third edge or hypotenuse28 of the triangle. The pitch lines are inclined relatve to the baseedge in conformity with standard or usual pitches or angles of commonrafters of a roof.

Eormed in the plate are three-slots, 31, 32, 33, 69 ene cf which 31 mayextend substantially parallel with and'comparatively close to the sideedge 23, whilst the other two slots are disposed nearer the junction ofthe base and the hypotenuse. The slots 32 and 33 preferably diverge fromslot-31 towards the base edge 22 and all the slots may be slightlycurvedas'shown.

In' any case the relationshipof the slots 31 and 32 is preferably suchas topermit the straightedged bar to be angularly adjusted on the platewithin a range including all likely pitch angles and so that the innerextremity of the straightedged bar will coincide with the side edge ofthe plate at all such positions whilst the straightedged bar willintersect the base edge at a common point for all pitch angles.

The straight-edged bar may comprise two straight edged bars 36 adaptedto' lie flat one against each face of the plate 21. These bars may beunited by two bolts or s'crews 37, 38, which pass through the slots inthe plate whereby the straight-'edged bar is guided in said slots andmay be fixed in any desired position by tightening, the nuts 39 of thebolts or screws. The nuts may have milled heads 41 and screw driverslots 42 to facilitate their tightening and loosening.

' The screw 38' may be attached to one of the straight-edged bars 36 andproject through coaligned holes in the bars and either of the slots 32,33. The other screw 37 passes through the slot 31 and is adapted toslide longitudinally in coaligned slots, 43 extending lengthwise of thestraight-edged bars. This screw also passes through opposite slidablefeet 44 to which are connected by hinge or pivotal means 46 the innerends of a pair of outwardly'projecting arms 47 of the aforesaid foldingwings on the StraigE-edged bar.

The said wings also comprise a second pair of arms 48 which areconnected by hinge or pivotal means 49 at their outer ends to the outerends of the iirst mentioned arms 47 and are connected by hingeor'pivotal means 51 at their inner ends to the inner ends of thestraight-edged bars 36.

The inner extremities 3;6a of the straight-edged the straight-edged barsare automatically adno justed in their angular attitudes, the anglesbetween the arms 48 and the faces of the plate conforming to the anglesof the side cuts of jack rafters as will be referred to hereinafter.

' Either or each straight-edged bar is provided with suitablegraduations 52, preferably in inches and fractions thereof, so that bysetting the straight-edged bar along one of the pitch lines 27 of theblade which determines the pitch of roof, the proper length of a commonrafter according to the run of rafter, which is half the width'o'f thebuilding and is found on the base edge of plate 22, is indicated by thegraduations 50' cn the plate coinciding with the graduations 52 cn thestraight-edged bar. may be ascertained by reading the inch andfractional graduations on the straight-edged bar as representing feetand inches, and the length thus ascertained may be measured on therafter by=a straight edge or rule and suitably marked cn the rafter. Oralternatively the length of "the straight-edged bar from its inner orzero end'to;

run of the rafter is eight feet (8') the distance from the zero end ofthe straight-edged bar to the point where it meets the base edge may bemeasured eight times along the rafter,

The angles of the proper head and foot cuts of a common rafter Willconform to the angles between a side edge of the straight-edged bar andthe side and base edges respectively of the plate and may be correctlymarked on the rafter. by placing the plate thereon with a side edge ofthe straight-edged bar against a side edge of the rafter and drawing aknife, pencil or marking the slot 32 and passed through the slot 33,whereupon the bar 36 is set in the'proper inclined attitude by keepingthe inner end of the bar at the l point where it was for the commonrafter and moving the bar about its inner end so that it intersects thebase edge 'at the marking 17. To

obtain the length of the hip or valley rafter, the distance from theinner end of bar-36 to the point where it intersects the mark to 17 onthe base edge 22 may be measured end to end along the rafter as manytimes as there are feet inthe run of the common rafter.

Thus, for example, if the run of the common rafter is 11 feet 3 inches,the distance from the inner end of bar 36 to the point where itintersects the mark 17 would be measured along the hip bar, the distancebetween the inner end of the latter and its intersection with the 4graduation from'the base edge giving the additional distance .to beaddedto the distance already measured on the hip rafter. Alternatively,the length of the hip or valley, rafter may be arrived at partly byproportion andpartly by scale. For instance, if

The length of the rafter r the run of the common rafter is 11 feet, therun of the hip rafter will be eleven twelfths of 17 feet, namely, 15feet 7 inches. The length of the hip or valley rafter will thenbe foundby reading from the inner end of the bar to the point where itintersects the 15 7/12 graduation of the base edge, such measurementbeing read as feet and inches. simultaneously With the setting of thestraight-edged bar in such position the arms 48 cn the straight-edgedbar willbe set in positions indicating the proper angle for the side cutof hip and valley rafter. The proper angles for head and foot cuts ofthe hip orvalley rafter will also be indicated by the side and baseedges of the plate.

To enable the device to be used as square or as a-mitre gauge, provisionmay be made for setting the straight-edged bar so that it overlies thebase or' the side edgeportion of the plate and has its arms 48disposedat anglesof 45' to the straight edged bar and plate. For thispurpose the hypotenuse edge 28 may be provided near the side edge witharelativly short right angle portion 28a having an open mouth recess 53to receive screw 38, whilst'another recess or a hole 54 may be formed inthe side edge portion of the plate to receive the screw 37. The hole 54is preferably spaced such a distance from the base edge as to ensurethat when the screw 37 is applied to the hole and the straight edgedbar, the arms 48 will beset at angles of 45 to the plane faces of theplate'as indicated by unbroken lines in Figure 2.

If desired, a spirit bulb may be attached to one side of thestraight-edged bar so that the latter may be used as a spirit level whendetached from the plate or when positioned on the plate tc be used as asquare or' mitre gauge.

The various graduations 24, 26, 52 and the pitch lines 27 may, ifdesired, be provided on both faces of the blade and cn both outer facesof the trammel bars 36 so that the device may be used in reverse.

Having now described my invention what I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent is- I 1. A device of the character describedcomprising a right angled plate provided with a number of slots, astraight edged bar lying against a face IOC of said plate and having alongitudinally elonv,

gated slot near one end extending crosswise of one of said slots in saidplate, guide members spaced longitudinally of said bar and projectinginto said slots, one of said guide members'extending through said slotin the bar, whereby the bar may be angularly adjusted on said plate, anarm pivotally attached to said bar by the guide member which passesthrough the slot in the bar so that the arm outstands from the face ofthe plate, and a second arm pivoted at one end to the outer end of saidiirst arm and pivoted at its other end tc the adjacent end of said bar.

2. A device as claimed in claim l, wherein said guide members consist ofscrews provided with nuts adapted to retain the bar'in any of its adjusted positions on the plate. u

3. A device of the character described comprising a plate having edgesextending at right angles to each other and meeting at' a corner of theplate, a straight edged bar on a face of said,

plate, adjustable positioning means whereby said sect the other rightangled edge at a common point for a11 such positions, and articulatedarms hingeably connected to said bar and to said adjustable positioningmeans and. projecting out- Wardly from the plate and bar whereby thesetting of the bar in a position corresponding to the pitch angle of acommon rafter will cause one of said arms to assume a positioncorresponding to the proper angle of a side or creeper cut of anassociated jack rafter.

4. A device as claimed in claim 3, wherein said bar and the lastmentioned edge of the plate are provided with graduated markingsindicative of lineal measurement.

5. A device according to claim 3, wherein said articulated arms comprisean intermediately jointed arm hinged at one end directly to said bar andconnected at the other end to the bar by a connection which is adjustedlengthwise on the bar according to the angular adjustment of the barupon the plate.

6. A device of the character described comprising a right angled setsquare provided with slots, a straight edged bar, two guide members onsaid bar adapted to enter said slots and enable the bar to be set invarious angular positions on said square, with the bar, extendinglaterally of said slots, the bar having a longitudinally elongated slotthrough which one of said guide members passes, an arm hingeablyconnected at one end to said bar, and a second arm pivoted to the otherend of the first mentioned arm, the other end of said second arm beingconnected to said guide member which passes through the elongated slotof said bar, for the purpose specified.

7. A device of the character described comprising a plate having baseand side edges extending at right angles to each other and meeting at acorner of the plate, said plate being provided with at least two slots,one of which is nearer to the side edge than the other and isapproximately parallel with said side edge, a straight edged bar, screwmembers projecting from said bar,

one into each of the slots of the pIate in order that the bar may be setin desired angular positions on the plate, the bar having alongitudinally elongated slot through which one of said screw memberspasses into the slot nearer the side edge of the plate, an arm hingeablyconnected to said screw member and outstanding from the bar, and asecond arm hingeably connected at its ends to the outer end of the firstmentioned arm and the adjacent end of the bar, for the purposespecified.

8. A device according to claim 7, wherein the base and side edges of theplate are provided with markings indicative of lineal measurement to beread from said corner of the plate, some of the base edge markings beingcontinued across the plate parallel with said side edge, said bar beingprovided With similar markings reading from its inner extemity whichcoincides with said side edge, for the purpose specified.

9. A device according to claim 7, wherein markings are provided on aface of said plate and extend from a common point along said base edgeto various points along said side edge to indicate various pitch anglesof common rafters.

10. A device of the character described comprising a plate having rightangled base and side edges meeting at a corner of the plate, said platebeing provided with first, second and third slots spaced at differentdistances from said side edge, a straight edged bar having alongitudinal slot, iirst and second guide members associated with saidbar, the first guide member passing through the slot of the bar intosaid first slot of the plate, the second guide member being detachablyapplied to the bar so that it may be passed through the second and thirdslots as occasion requires, an arm connected to said bar by said firstguide member and outstanding from saidbar and the adjacent face of saidplate, and another arm pivoted at one end of said first mentioned armand pivoted at its other end to said bar.

ALFRED G. SLOPER.

